When to Embrace?

Question

We find that many a time muslims greet by hugging each other, thereafter shaking hands. Is this hugging each other when greeting mentioned anywhere in the Hadith, or should one simply shake hands when greeting (generally)

“Whenever I met him (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam), he shook my hands. One day Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) sent for me to my house, but I wasn’t there. When I eventually went to him, he was on his bed. He (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) woke up and embraced me. That was so much better.” i.e, compared to shaking my hands.

(Sunan Abi Dawud, Hadith: 5172. Also see Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6266)

The habit of the Sahabah was to shake hands when they met, and if it was a meeting after a long time, they would hug each other.

2. Sayyiduna Anas (radiyallahu’anhu) says:
“When they (the Sahabah) would meet they would shake hands, and when they arrived from a journey, they would embrace”

(Al-Mu’jamul Awsat, see Fathul Bari, Hadith: 6266)

3. In the famous incident wherein Sayyiduna Jabir (radiyallahu’anhu) undertook a months journey to Syria just to hear one hadith from the Sahabi; ‘Abdullah Ibn Unais (radiyallahu’anhu) there is mention of them hugging when they met.

(Al-Adabul Mufrad of Imam Bukhari, Hadith: 999)

Embracing out of love

4. Imam Bukhari (rahimahullah) has also mentioned a narration in which Rasulullah (sallallahu’alayhi wasallam) embraced his beloved grandson, Sayyiduna Husayn (radiyallahu’anhu) when he saw him on the roadside.